1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network-management method and a network-management system for controlling a network that provides various services.
In a certain network configuration, a plurality of nodes (e.g., switches and ATM switches) and cross-connection devices are connected via physical communication lines, and logical paths are established with respect to various services for providing audio, image, and data. In a large-scale network, a plurality of communication-service providers may offer services. In such a case, it is expected to be able to control network with respect to each service or with respect to each communication-service provider.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are various proposed schemes for connecting LANs (local area networks) and WANs (wide area networks) together to create a large-scale network and for controlling the created large-scale network. In general, a large-scale network is implemented by employing multi-vendor network elements. Further, the large-scale network may be managed by a single communication-service provider, or may be created and managed by a plurality of communication-service providers. Against this background, there is a scheme for dividing a large-scale network into segments and giving a hierarchical structure to these segments, allowing each network segment to be displayed separately for management purposes and allowing connections inside each segment to be controlled. An example of such a scheme is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 6-326706, for example.
Another scheme allows only an administrator of a network of a given communication-service provider to store virtual view information in a table form for the purpose of controlling the network. This scheme allows the administrator to attend to network management while insuring overall security between different communication-service providers. An example of such a scheme is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 4-230139.
Further, there is a scheme for controlling network by displaying network nodes on a screen by use of colors for indication of network conditions, interface-connection conditions, and so on, and by providing a beeping function using different beep sounds. When the network fails, a location of the failure is reported to a network administrator by displaying the location in a different color and producing an alarming sound. Also, there is a scheme for controlling network by utilizing GUI (graphical user interface). Icons and pull-down selections are used for obtaining MIB (management information base) information, for example, thereby allowing visual evaluation of current network conditions.
A network uses physical communication lines, switches, ATM switches, etc., to connect between terminals and also between terminals and information providers, and renders various services for transmission of audio data and/or image data, the Internet, CBR (constant bit rate) transmission, VBR (variable bit rate) transmission, etc. In a related-art network, conditions of physical communication lines and nodes such as switches and ATM switches are displayed on a management screen, thereby allowing a network administrators to spot a network failure. In this configuration, however, network conditions cannot be controlled on a service-wise basis. Further, it is not easy to evaluate whether a spotted network failure severely affects the services.
Settings of connections for providing services are usually made by entering commands. When a network includes multi-vendor network elements, various commands need to be provided so as to cope with each of different network elements. Because of this, it is undesirably difficult to set connections in a service-wise manner.
Accordingly, there is a need for a network-management method and a network-management system which allow control and settings to be easily made with respect to each of different services by providing a physical network structure and a logical network structure on a service-wise basis.